MASL Message: May 2025

• Upcoming Events
• In The News
• Missouri School Librarian Spotlight
• Committee Updates
• Professional Learning
• Advice Column: Ivanna Rita Booke
• Regional Updates
• Readers Awards
• Readers Lists

MASL Summer PD

July 30

Register Here for Summer PD

AASL National Conference

October 16-18

Register Here

Click the slide above to see the MASL Year End Review

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is working with a team of school librarians from districts throughout Missouri to develop a School Library Instructional Framework. Workgroup members are Christa Bell (Lafayette Co. C-1), Sarah Colbert (Moberly), Stephanie Goh (Ferguson-Florissant), Elizabeth Hoskins (St. Joseph), Marlana Howerton (Laclede Co. R-I), Hope Hunter (St. James R-I), Jenna Kammer (University of Central Missouri), Dawn Moore (Camdenton R-III), Rebecca Parker (Kansas City), and Cynthia Roach (Jackson R-II).

The first phase of the project is to create, wordsmith, and organize content for the framework, which will provide guidance to school librarians on best instructional activities and practices. This phase should be complete by early June, with Missouri Learning Standards alignment work to follow and be finished by late October. DESE’s goal is for the framework to be approved and published by DESE prior to the start of the 2026-27 school year.

Dates for informal and formal public feedback on the proposed framework will be announced in the coming months. Professional school librarians are invited and strongly encouraged to participate in these feedback opportunities.

For more information, please contact Lisa Scroggs, DESE Director of Secondary Literacy, at Lisa.Scroggs@dese.mo.gov.

Provide accessible library materials to your students over the summer months by

connecting parents with Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library. Wolfner offers Home

Accounts to all students that you have certified as eligible for free service. Parents can

complete and return the Guardian Acknowledgement Form to gain access to juvenile

audio books, large print and braille books, delivered straight to their door. Visit

www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner for more information.

It’s not summer yet, but chances are your students are already looking ahead to warmer weather and a

break from school. Keep them engaged with fun resources such as:

• digital book kits
• story time activity kits
• read-alike books
• complete books and poems collections
• and resources that support the Color Our World™ summer reading program from CSLP!

Click here to see a flyer of TeachingBooks resources to support young readers! If you have any

questions, please contact Katie Dunne, Youth Services Consultant, at 573-522-9564.

As the school year is coming to a close, reflect, recharge, and get ready for summer! Share your feedback by May 16 for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card: https://forms.gle/quS7vjYJ6ex4CCFT6

HB116: Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act did not survive the conference process and is no longer part of SB 68

Students explore the alphabet with We Mix Up Our ABCs by Aaron Wills through a read-aloud, a riddle-based alphabet scavenger hunt, and a fun "I Have, Who Has?" game.

To find more great lessons, please visit MASL’s Lesson Plan Database..

The list of book club titles will be coming out in August 2025 so people can plan ahead and find or purchase the books. We're looking forward to another great year of discussions and learning!

Check out our Membership Toolkit!

It’s time for the next chapter of your learning journey! Join us June 24-26, 2025, for this year’s TCEA Librarian Conference. It’s the best place to hear from other librarians and media specialists on hot tools, trends, and resources that’ll help you make an impact on your students.

At the conference, you’ll explore a variety of topics like innovative strategies, tools, resources, and trends with other librarians from around the world. The best part? It’s all online, so you can tune in from wherever you are!

Can’t join us for all three half-days? Your $149 registration fee includes 30 days of post-conference access to every single recorded session so you won’t miss a thing.

Check out the Copyright and Creativity for resources, on-demand webinars and "office hours" for free copyright assistance. Information is available for grades K- 12.

"Promotional events sponsored by AASL, ALA, ALA units, and other organizations which provide an opportunity for school librarians to promote the critical role school libraries play in the education landscape." This calendar provides a list of events for each month and a variety of resources for each event including professional resources, classroom activities, promotional materials and more.

Click here to access the Promotional Events Calendar

Dear Ivanna;

What are some ways that I may stay connected with school librarians over the summer?

Signed,

Summer Break Soon

Dear Summer Break Soon;

There are several ways for MASL members to stay connected throughout the summer. One is to join MASL Members on Facebook. That is great way to find information, ask questions, and stay connected. This is a private group for MASL members. Also consider joining the MASL Facebook page to stay current on MASL news and information.

Watch for the summer reading list. This will allow you to find new titles for your library while also preparing you to participate as a reader selector in the fall. These lists will be published on the MASL website.

Don't forget MASL Summer PD on July 30 in Columbia. This is a great opportunity to connect with members from across our state, garner new ideas for the upcoming school year, and even watch a movie with other librarians at a local cinema.

There are many ways to stay connected over summer. Take care of yourself and enjoy your break. Looking forward to more great questions in the fall.

Sincerely,

Ivanna

• Greater St. Louis: Congratulations to all of our officers for the 2025-2026 school year: President Dawn Murray, Vice-President Gabrielle Weston, Recording Secretary June Burkhardt, Treasurer Emily Hines, and Past President Kira Brennan. We currently have a vacancy for the Membership Secretary which will be filled by presidential appointment in the coming days.